Chapter 254: Flipping the Table, Exposing the Truth
"Oh, I was wondering who it was turns out it's Tianshui Academy."
Ning Rongrong glanced over casually, ready to call her teammates and leave. But as she turned, she suddenly whipped her head back.
She… she wasn't seeing things, right?
That was Zhuqing.
But… hadn't her father told her Zhuqing was dead?
She had been devastated for a long time. Zhu Zhuqing had been the first real friend she had made on her own, someone she never had to put up an act around.
When it happened, she had rushed back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to ask for help. But instead of agreeing, her usually doting father restricted her movements.
The next day, she received another update Zhu Zhuqing had disappeared.
And her father had regretfully told her that she was most likely dead.
Afraid that she was imagining things, she rubbed her eyes hard before looking at the familiar figure in Tianshui Academy's team again.
No doubt about it it was Zhuqing.
She was alive.
That was amazing news!
Without a second thought, she threw her arms up, waving wildly, and shouted excitedly:
"Zhuqing! Zhuqing!"
Damn it.
Flender opened his eyes, his face twisting into a look of sheer agony.
His final prayers had gone unanswered.
Ning Rongrong had noticed Zhu Zhuqing.
And worse
She didn't even care about the situation, nor did she give a damn about how anyone else felt.
She just shouted her name right then and there.
Couldn't she read the room?!
Oh, wait. She didn't have to.
Flender's soul ached.
Someone, please save him!
Meanwhile, the girls of Tianshui Academy, who had been chatting and laughing, all heard Ning Rongrong's call.
"Eh? Zhuqing, isn't that Ning Rongrong? Hmm… and the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team? Let's go over there."
Dugu Yan's sharp eyes immediately noticed the group, as well as the dark looks on the faces of certain people.
Her lips curled mischievously.
Grabbing Zhu Zhuqing's hand, she marched straight toward them, the rest of Tianshui Academy following closely behind.
She had always wanted to meet this so called genius squad and see if they were really that special.
Besides, she had permission from Han Li to do whatever she wanted.
What was there to be afraid of?
From Qian Renxue to Han Li, from Heaven Dou to Spirit Hall, both the players and referees were her people.
What could they possibly do against her?
And honestly?
She had been dying for an excuse to put these people in their place.
Their Tianshui Academy instructor lagged behind knowingly.
Before they left, the headmaster had given her clear orders
She was just here for show.
She didn't need to interfere no matter what happened.
Her only job was to watch over the girls and make sure they had fun.
And judging by the smirks on both Shui Bing'er and Dugu Yan's faces
They definitely were.
With all eyes on them, the two teams finally met.
Before anyone else could react, Ning Rongrong had already rushed forward and hugged Zhu Zhuqing tightly.
Two stunning girls hugging each other a beautiful sight to behold.
"Oi, you over there, gloomy faced guy. What the hell are you glaring at with those bloodshot eyes? You wanna fight? I'll knock your damn head sideways."
Ignoring Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong's reunion, Dugu Yan turned straight toward Dai Mubai and fired.
She didn't need to guess what he was thinking.
With her Killing God Domain, she could sense bloodlust far better than most.
And Dai Mubai?
His intent to kill Zhu Zhuqing was practically oozing from him.
At the same time, Shui Bing'er and Xiu'er locked onto Tang San.
This guy was the real snake here.
His killing intent toward Zhu Zhuqing was just as bad, if not worse.
"You people are taking this too far!"
Dai Mubai clenched his jaw so tightly he nearly cracked his teeth.
Even though he had just decided to endure, he couldn't take being insulted so openly.
"Oh, so we are the ones taking it too far?"
Dugu Yan laughed coldly.
"Wasn't it you all who ganged up on Zhuqing and forced her into a corner? She was still your fiancée, wasn't she?"
Having spent so much time with Han Li, Dugu Yan had learned well.
She didn't even need to mention identities just one simple accusation was enough.
Who cares what actually happened?
All that mattered was was she wrong?
And just like that
The watching crowd erupted.
This was the contestant lounge.
Everyone here was young, and at that age, they romanticized love more than anything.
Hearing what Dugu Yan said, the way they looked at Dai Mubai changed instantly.
"You're twisting the truth! She refused to cooperate first "
Dai Mubai snapped without thinking, his voice heated.
"And why don't you explain why she refused to cooperate?"
Dugu Yan sneered.
"You abandoned your fiancée, ran off alone, and indulged in pleasure while she suffered. Then, you and your so called teammates forced her into submission."
"So she fought back, dumped you, and left."
"What's wrong with that?"
Her last sentence rang out loud and clear.
And the crowd exploded once again.
Hah. Like she'd believe Dai Mubai had the guts to admit what had happened to him.
If the Soul Master Tournament still gave him a sliver of hope to turn things around, the moment he let this secret slip, Star Luo Empire would abandon him on the spot.
A prince who couldn't produce heirs?
Letting him win just to become a laughingstock for the continent?
No way.
Ironically, the funniest part was that out of the three major powers, the only one still in the dark about this was Star Luo Empire itself.
"Y you…"
Dai Mubai's lips trembled with rage.
Hearing the whispers growing louder around him, he knew he was about to become the biggest joke of this year's Soul Master Tournament.
And as the tournament progressed, his identity would inevitably be revealed, further cementing his disgrace.
A future ruler couldn't afford scandals like this.
Even if Star Luo Empire thrived on brutal elimination, once a prince became a joke across the continent, even the Emperor himself would be forced to reconsider his position.
In short he was finished.
His only hope now?
Davis dying before this tournament ended.
Flender sighed deeply and finally stepped forward.
No matter how reluctant he was, as a teacher, he had to stand up for his students.
"Miss Dugu, I ask that you show some restraint. There are complicated circumstances behind this matter that cannot be made public, as I'm sure you're aware. Furthermore, this is an internal matter of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. With the tournament right in front of us, let's focus on the competition instead."
Flender felt a toothache coming on.
Everyone involved in this mess was someone he couldn't afford to offend.
And as for hoping Ning Rongrong would help him out?
Not happening.
Tang San? Even less likely.
If his true identity ever got exposed, he might be the first to die.
Didn't they notice?
He hadn't said a word this entire time.
His head was lowered even further than anyone else's.
"You're an interesting teacher, aren't you? You really think you weren't included in the people I was talking about just now?"
Dugu Yan gave Flender a playful look.
If she remembered correctly, this "Golden Iron Triangle" member was also one of the people who had forced Zhuqing into a corner.
Flender's heart skipped a beat.
A bad feeling crept up his spine.
"Flender, as a teacher, you once told Zhuqing to surrender and give in to them, didn't you?"
"Is this the responsibility a teacher should have?"
Dugu Yan's words were sharp as knives.
And before Flender could even open his mouth, she cut him off again.
"But then again… this is very much your style, isn't it?"
"Flender, a rank 70 Soul Saint, once collaborated with a wanted criminal from Spirit Hall Zhao Wuji, the Unmoving King to establish an unlicensed Soul Master academy called Shrek Academy in Soto City.
And what was their claim to fame?
They boasted that one of their graduates became the youngest Elder in Spirit Hall."
"Tell me, Flender, can you say that student's name right here, right now?"
Flender's body went rigid.
He had just said one sentence and now his entire past was being dragged out in public.
And the worst part?
The person exposing him was from Spirit Hall.
He couldn't afford to talk back recklessly.
With a stiff smile, he forced a reply:
"That was just… me boasting. There's no such person."
"Alright then," Dugu Yan smirked.
"So, in other words, you admit to using Spirit Hall's name fraudulently and harboring the wanted criminal Zhao Wuji?"
Flender's forehead was drenched in cold sweat.
"T this… Miss Dugu, I "
Flender tried to argue, but Dugu Yan cut him off again.
"Forget that for now. Let's talk about something else."
"Flender, in twenty years, your Shrek Academy recruited 42 students all of whom had to reach Rank 21 by age 12 to be accepted.
Out of those, only 14 successfully graduated.
Tell me where did the other 28 students go?"
"Are you telling me that, out of so many so called geniuses, none of them managed to reach Rank 40 by age 20?"
"Or… did something happen to them?"
The moment Dugu Yan finished speaking, the surrounding crowd erupted.
Many of the people here barely met the minimum qualifications to enter this tournament.
Yet none of them had even heard of this academy.
Something about that didn't add up.
Flender's silence only made the tension worse.
"You don't dare to answer?"
"Fine. I'll answer for you."
Dugu Yan's voice rang out loud and clear.
"Some of them died while trying to obtain Soul Rings."
"As for the rest?"
"They wasted their golden years of training and became cripples."
The crowd froze.
Even those who had been whispering among themselves were now completely silent.
Students with better talent than them possibly even far better talent had ended up either dead or useless?
This wasn't normal.
Yes, accidents happened when obtaining Soul Rings.
But how could the rate of death and failure be this high?
And wasn't Flender a Soul Saint?
With so few students, how had so many of them ended up dead?
Unless…
He never actually helped them.
Or worse he never cared in the first place.
And just like that
A chill ran down everyone's spine.
Their gazes toward Flender shifted from respect… to fear.
(End of Chapter)
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